Can you imagine a world where all businesses are owned and directly controlled by the people who depend on them for employment or essential goods and services? While we may not be living in that world today, cooperatives have already built such a reality for hundreds of millions of people across the globe.

October is National Co-op Month in the United States, when people across the country will be celebrating the cooperative movement’s history and economic impact on communities nationwide. According to the Co-op Month website, “the annual awareness month provides a key opportunity to reflect on the legacy of cooperative impact and celebrate the many ways co-ops are building better businesses, better communities and, ultimately, a better world.” Fittingly, this year’s theme for the month is Cooperatives Build.

Co-ops are businesses owned and run by and for their members—which can include employees, customers, or others who are involved in the enterprise. Those members control how it operates and share the profits of the business. The most common types of co-ops are groceries, farms, home care services, or financial institutions, but they exist in nearly every industry.

International Credit Union Day also falls in the middle of the National Co-op Month on October 20. Credit unions are like banks in that they accept deposits, make loans and provide a wide array of other financial services, but they’re also co-ops in that they are member-owned and exist to serve their members. You can check out all the resources available to talk about member-owned financial institutions from the World Council of Credit Unions or the U.S.-based Credit Union National Association.

While this is a celebration led by U.S. co-ops, it’s one anyone can appreciate and support no matter their home country. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate cooperative enterprises in all its forms and spread the news about the important role they play in creating a sustainable and equitable economy.